Time Cops: Trick or Threat
by King in Yellow
Summary: Halloween in Middleton. Children high on sugar prowl the streets, but a rookie Time Cop and a lemur are in desperate need of help to complete a solo mission which might, or might not, be vitally important. Don't you wish you knew the future? Sometimes even Time Cops aren't sure. Who will the rookie ask for help? And just who was that in the Groucho Marx costume? Best Enemies Series


Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the Kim Possible series are all owned by Disney. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.

I started this as a multi-chapter story last October. I got busy. Last week I tried to go cold turkey on playing computer solitaire, and that freed up some time for other projects (and pointed me in a moderately constructive direction). And now it's complete in one chapter.

**Time Cops: Trick or Threat**

"We don't need anyone to go trick-or-treating with us!" Kasy protested. "We're nine."

"That's right, you're nine. Nine is too young to be out after dark without an adult, especially on Halloween," Shego answered.

"Lots of kids will be out. An' Hana and Jason are ten. We'll be with Hana and Jason."

"There are bad people who come out on Halloween, looking for kids. There are kids who run across the street without looking for cars. Hana... Well, Hana is very mature for her age but–"

"Sheki and I are real majure too!"

"In some ways. But, if you'll let me finish, Hana is still not an adult. Grandpa James will go around with you... How many kids are in your group?"

"Me and Sheki and–"

"Sheki and I, and start over."

"Sheki and I, and Jessica and Jason, and Briana... We may have to take her little brother... and... and..."

"Hana?"

"Yeah, and Hana."

"Six, maybe seven with a three year old. You so need an adult."

"Eemah!"

* * *

"I can't believe your parents let you go trick-or-treating into high school," Shego commented to Kim as they got ready for bed that night.

Kim groaned, "Not my idea. Ron wanted to keep going out even when we got into high school, and insisted I go with him. I'd have loved it if my parents had said 'no'."

"My parents cut me off after twelve, said teenagers had no business begging for candy with the little kids."

The redhead looked thoughtful. "I want to say that sounds harsh. But I felt silly going around with Ron while everyone else was having parties. Did I hear there was talk of moving trick-or-treating to the Sunday afternoon before Halloween? Is that going to happen?"

Shego shrugged, "Maybe. Some towns are doing it now. But my guess is it won't happen in Middleton anytime soon."

"You were right to tell Kasy they have to go around with my dad. Have they decided on costumes?"

"Hana will be in her usual warrior costume. Jason and Jessica plan on being a couple Pokemon characters–"

"That's still on?"

"Apparently. Kasy, Sheki, and Briana wanted to be superheroes... Are there any super heroines who have costumes we'd let nine-year olds wear?"

"Not that I know. So what are they doing?"

"Alicia is making Marx brothers costumes for Briana and the twins. I don't know if any of the three know who the Marx brothers were."

"Briana will probably be Harpo... So, who'll be Groucho?"

"I don't know...But the big question is, what are we doing for costumes this year? Try again for something that shows we're a couple, or each of us just gets what she wants?"

"How come most of the famous comic book duos are two guys?"

"Yeah, and same problem as before. Are there any super heroine costumes you'd be willing to put yourself into?"

"No... Maybe we should just get individual costumes... You'd can't be Elvira again!"

"Hey, I'm back in shape since Jane was born."

"I don't care. You start a riot with college students ringing the doorbell to look at your 'treats' when you wear that."

"Okay, okay. No Mistress of the Dark this year... Hey, Kim, got a great idea for a superhero duo. Wanna hear it?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Piss and Moan. Want to hear their powers?"

Kim quickly grabbed a pillow from the bed and swatted Shego. Shego tackled Kim and they fell back onto the bed, giggling as they wrestled for possession of the pillow.

In the twin's bedroom Kasy grumbled, "Why can't we have normal parents?"

"Maybe we do," suggested Sheki. "Maybe all parents are crazy."

* * *

**Jane's POV**

Cat and I were stretched out on Junior's bed, relaxing, while he sat at his desk in front of his computer. Mom says it's a habit he got from his dad. Lenny was doing something with Junior's tools. I don't think he'd let either Cat or me touch his work bench, but he doesn't say anything to the lemur.

"I may have a lead on Cyber Snake," Junior told us.

"Great!" I told him. "What's the scoop?"

"Scoop?"

"Breaking news," Cat told him. "There used to be something called newspapers, kind of a hard copy internet." She stuck her tongue out at me to show she knew ancient history too.

"Scoop? Weird," he muttered. "Some kind of metal worm or something found years ago. Might have been a Cold War device or something. Anyway, it eventually ended up at Middleton Research for analysis. Dr. Porter was working on it, trying to figure out what it was. It activated and trashed her lab – destroying whatever data she'd gathered on it. Since nobody knew who made the thing, or why, it was kind of hushed up in case it was a U.S. weapon or something."

"The origin of Cyber Snake?"

"Don't know," he shrugged. "Could be, but we need to see Dr. Porter's notes, make a copy before the thing destroyed them."

"Can we go back and hack in to her computer?"

"And by 'we' I assume you mean 'me'. No. Completely secure computer, wasn't the one with internet connections. Didn't connect to anything except an external hard drive for backup."

"How do you know that?"

"From the report."

"External hard is still good thought, right?" I argued. "Buy the same model and swap it out before the thing goes zot and we're minus."

"Not that easy," Junior told us. "The report doesn't specify what model drive she had, and a wrong one would look suspicious. And they had good security at Middleton Research, even back then. I want Cat to handle this solo."

I'm not sure if Cat or I was more shocked. She was not ready to solo. Cat would never be ready to solo. Letting her go on any mission was a mistake. I looked over at her, and she looked nervous. Nervous and too darn willing to try.

"Really? Are you sure? Do you think I'm ready?"

"Wait a minute," I protested, "that's crazy talk. Cat? Solo?"

"I've got five reasons," Junior told us. I'm pretty sure he was really talking to me. "Do you want them from strongest to weakest, or weakest to strongest?"

Cat didn't say a word, just looked nervously back and forth between Junior and me. I chewed my lip for a minute. One of Junior's more annoying habits is the fact he's almost never wrong. I was pretty sure he was wrong this time, but if I asked for his reasons – and they were good – it looked like I didn't trust him. "Okay," I told them, "Cat goes solo." I think my tone of voice reflected the fact I thought this was the dumbest idea since the tomato split.

"Ah... Should we ask someone in the future to check it out?" our cousin asked nervously. "Or wait a week or two, or something?"

"Pluses lie," I answered. "And what if Cyber Snake does something in the next few days. You need to try and get us the information as fast as you can."

"I've got a couple things I want you to take with you. They might help–"

"Hey!" I protested. "You aren't sending her solo just to test your stuff are you?"

"Of course not," snapped Junior. "But she's still a rookie and needs any edge I can give her. You could use some tech too."

"I don't need tech," I scoffed, "I'm good." Okay, a lot of times tech would help. But I wasn't going to say that in front of the rookie.

* * *

Looking into the playpen James Possible commented, "In my day girls didn't have mixed sleep-overs with boys before they were two."

Kim laughed, "If I'd ever asked you to let a boy sleep over with me you'd have put him on a rocket to the moon."

The four infants seemed ready to enjoy themselves while their parents partied. Aaron, perhaps, seemed slightly shy compared with the cousins who saw each other more often.

Tim put a hand on his father's back, "One thing I'm never going to tell Catlyn is 'No boys'. You see how well that turned out with Kim."

"Not funny," muttered his older sister.

"Did I hear Ron and Bonnie will stay in Middleton through Thanksgiving?" James asked.

"Just Bonnie. She has work she can do here while grandparents watch Aaron. Ron has an evening flight tomorrow."

Kim's dad looked at his watch, "And when do I leave with the older kids?"

"Jason and Jessica should be here any minute. I think Briana and the twins have been in costume for an hour. Have you seen them?"

"Groucho let me in. I think they look hilarious."

The next doorbell was Felix and Justine, who explained that Francis was with his grandmother. And closely following them were the Mankeys, allowing James Possible to shepherd his little flock into the darkening neighborhood.

The trick-or-treaters had only hit four houses when Dr. Possible's cell phone rang, showing the number of Middleton Research.

"Yes?"

"Dr. Possible?"

"Here."

"Security. This is a routine call to senior staff. Attempted break-in... Well, an intruder may have gotten in the building, we're not sure how. An alarm went off in robotics. But we don't believe anything was compromised, doesn't appear to have been a lab breach. Maybe the alarm scared the intruder off... Don't know how he got away either so he still might be in the building."

"I'm not sure you needed to alert me."

"Standard procedure, Sir."

"Because a couple members of the senior staff are raving paranoids and may want to come down and check on their experiments?"

The man on the other end of the conversation laughed, "I'm not allowed to say anything about the senior staff."

"Even if it's true?"

"Especially if it's true."

"Let me know if you catch... You don't need to call me back unless there seems to be a problem in my section."

"Thank you, Sir."

James Possible looked around, his charges had moved on to another house while he talked on the phone and he hurried to catch up with them.

* * *

**Cat's POV**

Okay, I messed up at Middleton Research. Maybe I should have let Lenny use the thing Jane called a sonic screwdriver, but if I'm going to be a Time Cop with Jane and Junior I need to learn how to do things myself. I got into the research building fine. I got out of the building fine when I set off the alarm and heard the guard coming my way. But this wasn't a test for getting in and out of the building. I needed the data from Dr. Porter's lab and I didn't have that. And I suspected security was going to be extra tight for the rest of the night – and this was the last night before the thing activated.

Maybe I should come back the day before... But I wasn't much good at setting my Chrono yet. Loc is easy, time is harder. I could bounce back and let Junior reset for me... And then Jane would say I wasn't ready to be a time cop. I had to figure out some way to get that information.

Junior had given me something he called a USB drive, and showed me a picture of what the slot for it would look like on Dr. Porter's computer. Jane said we should have found out what kind of hard drive she used for backup, but Junior said this is better. Apparently all I have to do is turn on her computer and plug this in for five minutes. Easy as falling off a log, if I could get in. I knew one person who had access to the research center.

Grandma answered the door. "How sweet," she said and handed me a piece of candy, "did you know this was Kim's home? I'm her mother?" Maybe copying my mission outfit on Aunt Kim's old style was a good thing.

"Thank you," I told her. "I... uh... knew. I, um, wanted to ask... for science class... your husband works at Middleton Research doesn't he? Can I ask him something?"

I had no idea what I was going to ask him. I wish I could lie like Jane. It's as easy as breathing for her. Fortunately, or unfortunately, grandpa wasn't home – which would give me a little more time to think of a good story. "James went to our daughter's home to help with Halloween. Can you come back tomorrow? He's usually home by five-thirty."

Lenny ate the piece of candy as we left grandma and grandpa's house for Aunt Kim's... He didn't bother to unwrap it.

Aunt Shego answered the door, she was dressed like... I'm not sure. Somebody from a Disney movie. I didn't have time to try and remember who. She handed me another piece of candy. "You look adorable," she told me. "But it was a naked mole rat who helped Kim, not a lemur."

"I'm not trick or treating, I–"

"The real Kim Possible is here. Come in, I want everyone to see your outfit."

"Please, I'm looking for her father, James Possible. Is he here?"

"He's out with the trick-or-treaters... Say, are you related to the Delaneys? Kim's brother, Tim, is married to a Delaney. You look like you could be her younger sister."

"I really need to find Dr. Possible, any idea where they headed?"

"North a couple blocks to Maple, usually a lot of houses with good stuff. Sure you can't come in for a second?"

"No, really have to run," I apologized, and ran. This whole thing was a disaster. And seeing mom and dad would be too weird, and I'd probably feel guilty too. I almost wondered if Jane had set me up to fail to discourage me... Well, if she did I was going to prove her wrong. Junior said I could do it, and he's never wrong. I can do this! I just wish I had the slightest idea of how.

Lenny hung on my shoulder with one arm and ate the second piece of candy as I headed for Maple Street. I hadn't needed the directions to Maple, it would still be a good street for Halloween in a few years when I'm old enough to go out trick-or-treating. "Find Grandpa James," I told Lenny and he sniffed the air and then began lopping off with me in pursuit.

Okay, asking Lenny to find grandpa was another mistake. Lenny likes grandpa James, but grandpa James doesn't currently know that and was taking a defensive posture as I ran up, thinking Lenny was rabid or something. "He's tame," I panted. "Well... sort of... He won't hurt you." I looked at Lenny, "Pretty baby, here!" and held out my arms. Lenny jumped up and I held him as grandpa stared at me. I figured he was curious about the way I was dressed. He probably figured it was a costume, like grandma and Shego had assumed.

"That's a very unusual watch," he commented. "Can I take a look at it."

_"Don't panic,"_ I told myself. _"He's never seen a Chrono. He can't know what it is."_ I cautiously stretched out my arm and he looked a little closer.

"It looks very complex," he told me. "When I was a boy watches just had three hands. What features does this one have?"

"I, uh, I haven't had this very long... I'm still not sure about some of the functions." Technically that shouldn't count as a lie. There were a lot of things I didn't know about my Chrono yet.

He smiled, "I'm pleased to meet you. My daughter used to wear an outfit like that. Perhaps you've met her?"

"I... I..." I stammered. Should I say I knew that, or claim I didn't?

He stuck out his hand, "James Possible, and you are?"

"Ca–" I caught myself just in time, "Katherine. Katherine, uh, Oglethorpe." We were studying the original colonies in American History and I remembered the name. I hoped he wouldn't ask me how to spell it. "I, um, was looking for you." I needed to admit that – since grandma and aunt Shego were likely to mention the fact. "I... I need your help."

"How can I help you? Something for your science class, I assume?"

"I, ah, work for the Justice League and–"

"Justice League?"

"Global Justice, I meant Global Justice. Sorry, I'm really nervous."

"Relax, you seem rather young for Global Justice. So, you must know my daughter, Kim."

"I... I'm older than I look. Everybody knows about Kim. I'm sure she doesn't know me. I'm still in training, and... and... Did you hear about a break-in at Middleton Research tonight?"

"Security called. And Global Justice sent out an agent-in-training and a lemur to investigate?"

I needed Jane, she could have thought of something that made sense. I was drowning in my own words. "No, I... I was in Middleton and..."

He smiled at me, "Slow down. And you thought you'd show a little initiative and check it out for yourself?"

"Yes, Sir. Exactly."

"And you knew Kim's dad worked at Middleton Research. And, since you didn't think security would let you in you came looking for me, hoping I'd go out to the center with you?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. It was almost like he was trying to help me. "Yes. Can you take me there, please?"

"I'm supposed to be watching some children. Is this important?"

I couldn't think of an answer. How would I know, if I was just an agent in training?

He chuckled, "I guess you wouldn't know unless we went out, but you think it might be important?"

"It might be very important."

"Let me talk with the kids." He called them over to him, I tried to hang back and keep Lenny in the shadows, but I kind of wanted to see Hana. I don't know her well, and she's pretty much normal in my now. But the story is that she died a couple years ago... will die temporarily in like eleven years, and she was sometimes kind of strange as a kid. 'Kind of strange'... And saying that when I've got the family I've got means something.

Grandpa was on his knees, to talk face-to-face with the kids. "I had a call. Something happened at the place I work and I want to go see if everything is all right. We can go home now, or you can stay out - with Hana in charge."

"We want to stay out!" "Let us keep trick-or-treating!" "Stay out!"

"You all promise to listen to Hana?" They nodded.

"Very well." He looked at Ron's little sister. I see what they meant. There was something very grown up about the way she carried herself. "I don't know how long I will be. At nine you will stop going to houses and will go back to Kim's. You understand?"

"I understand."

He put his hands on the little girl's shoulders, "It is very important to keep the others safe, but I believe you can do it."

She bowed, "Thank you for your trust."

"Do you have a watch?"

Jason spoke up, "I have the time, on my phone."

"I'd like Hana to take my watch. You can't be too careful," grandpa said and took off the timepiece. "What time back at Kim's?" he asked them all as he handed his watch to Hana.

"Nine."

"Good."

* * *

"So, how's your family?" he asked casually on the short ride to the research center. "Any younger siblings?"

"Just my little brother. Everyone's fine."

"Do you have cousins? How are they?"

"Why are you asking about cousins?"

"Oh, the Oglethorpes I know are a big family. I thought you might be related."

"I... I don't know."

"Do you have cousins?"

"Well, yeah."

"Maybe you're a distant relative to the ones I know. So, tell me, how are your cousins? Everyone healthy?"

"Everyone is fine," I assured him.

Grandpa pulled into his spot at the research center and turned off the engine. You can tell how important a person is from the parking lot, and how close they are to the front door. Grandpa was pretty important. I breathed a little sigh of relief as he held the car door open for me and I got out. "Thanks grand–" I shut up. My face felt warm, I must have been blushing. "Sorry... I... You, ah, remind me of my grandfather."

"A very handsome man, I take it."

"A very handsome man. He's very special. Really smart too."

"Well, if he's handsome, special, and smart I can see how you might confuse us. I assume he's a little older than me."

"How did you know?"

"A lucky guess. If you forget again I'll just take it as a compliment."

"Thank you, Dr. Possible."

Grandpa was better than Junior's sonic screwdriver for getting into Middleton Research. He told security I was family paying a visit and chatted with them about the intruder for a minute. The general opinion now seemed to be the alarm in the robotics section had been triggered by accident. There were no signs of entry, and none of the security cameras on hallways leading to that section showed anything.

"Katherine here was hoping for some excitement," he told the man at the desk, "but doesn't sound like she's going to get any. Maybe I'll just take her back and show her my office... Might even take a detour through the robotics wing and see if we can spot anything."

I should have asked, _"Could something inside the room have triggered it?"_ I thought of that later, 'cause Junior said something in there will activate tomorrow.

"Don't think you will. But give us a call immediately if you do."

"Absolutely."

We walked through silent corridors, dimly lit with half the fluorescent lights turned off to conserve electricity. Grandpa mentioned various offices and labs as we walked along. I recognized where we were, we were almost at Dr. Porter's lab, and suddenly I was feeling sick to my stomach. What if I messed up? What if it was whatever I did that made the weapon turn on?

"Is something wrong?" grandpa asked.

_"I don't know if I should be here? What if I do something wrong? Something might happen, and maybe I will have caused it. This is a mistake. I don't know what to do."_ "I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't be here."

He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me toward him. "Young lady, you came here with good intentions? To do what was right?"

"Yes."

"Trust in yourself. You can do what needs to be done. There's a saying I tell my children and grandchildren, 'Anything is possible for a Possible'. I'm certain it applies to Oglethorpes too."

I impulsively gave him a hug, "Thanks grand–" I dropped my arms and back away, my face had to be red as a stop sign. "Sorry, Dr. Possible. And thank you for the encouragement."

"You're welcome. Now, will you forgive me? I feel a sudden need to visit the men's room. Why don't you wait here by Dr. Porter's office. I'll be back in ten, fifteen minutes."

"That would be great! I... I mean, take your... I mean... I mean I'll be fine."

"And you'll be here waiting for me when I come back?"

"Yes, Sir!"

As soon as grandpa started to walk away Lenny held out his hand.

"I can do it," I insisted.

Lenny rolled his eyes.

"Sarcasm looks bad on lemurs," I told him as I handed him the tool.

I breathed a little sigh of relief. Dr. Porter left her computer turned on during the night. I hadn't thought to ask Junior where the on/off switch might have been. A tiny red light started blinking on the drive as soon as I slid it into the port. I'd been told to expect that, it was verifying the operating system. The steady yellow light that replaced it meant the process of creating a backup copy of the computer files had begun. "Please, hurry," I prayed to the small drive. Not for grandpa to hurry. Junior had said five minutes, but that was probably an approximation. What if it took longer? I was sweating when the light blinked green. I quickly pulled out the drive and stepped into the hall, pulling the door closed behind me so fast I almost hit Lenny. "Sorry," I whispered. "I'll give you an avocado and garbanzo beans when we get home."

He ignored me.

"Want me to scratch your ears?" I held my arms open and Lenny jumped up. Apparently I was forgiven.

There was some sort of a clang from down the hall, and grandpa announced loudly, "Oops, kicked a wastebasket." I breathed a little sigh of relief. He couldn't have known anything happened.

"You look happy," he commented when he rejoined me. "Feeling good?"

"Feeling great!"

"Glad to hear it. Still want to see my office?"

I hesitated. I didn't need to see it. I had what I needed. "Yes, please," I smiled. As we walked down the corridor I messed up again and impulsively took his hand, like I used to do when... like I will do in a few years when I walk with him to get ice cream. (This time stuff gets confusing.) I gave his hand a little squeeze, then realized what I was doing and dropped his hand like it was a hot coal. "S-s-sorry," I stammered.

"That's all right. I remind you of your grandfather."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

His office will look a lot different the next time I see it. I had the good sense not to ask when they planned to remodel, in case it wasn't being planned yet. After just a couple minutes he glanced at a clock on his desk, "I hope you don't mind, but I need to stop at my daughter's place before I head home. Do you have everything you need?"

"Yes Sir!"

"Is there any place I should drop you and your little friend?"

"No, I..." Lenny and I could jump home from anywhere. But staying here might look suspicious. "Will you drive by Elm Avenue?" Of course he would if he was going to Kim's.

"Any particular address?"

"No... Just drop me off. I'll be fine. Thank you."

Grandpa left us off on Elm. I watched the tail lights until he turned, a block away. I didn't see any trick-or-treaters, and the street was quiet and residential with no cars visible at the moment as I did the big bounce home with Lenny.

* * *

James expected to catch hell when he arrived back at Casa Possible for leaving the children unchaperoned, and found his prediction to be accurate. He was defending himself, insisting he had been needed at the research center when Hana found him, bowed deeply, and returned his watch.

"Thank you for trusting me, Dr. Possible," the little warrior said.

"I knew you could handle the situation. Were there any problems?"

"Kasy did not wish to return at the appointed time."

James raised an eyebrow.

"She will heal," Hana assured him.

Before returning home James went into the library, where the playpen held four sleeping infants. He looked around. The sound of the adults' Halloween party came in faintly, but there was no one else watching the sleepers. So gently he didn't even awaken her, he took Catlyn out of the pen and cradled the sleeping girl in his arms. "Well, Kitty, you will grow into a very beautiful young lady," he whispered to the sleeper. "And it appears you will have a little brother some day. And a lemur. I don't know how you will get along with your brother, but you and the lemur will get along fine." The little girl stirred slightly and he kissed her forehead and put her down beside Jane. "Wish I knew why you were here tonight. Be nice if you came to stop trouble from happening, but that would probably cause a paradox – and Jane and Junior don't like paradoxes."

–The End–


End file.
